Mounting apparatus for customized shielding from radiation

Abstract

A mounting apparatus for a shielding system for customized shielding of a patient or an operator from radiation. The shielding system is mounted on a rail of a table used for interventional medical procedures comprising a longitudinal rail edge. In use, the mounting apparatus is slidably engaged to a rail by mating a t-shaped groove to the rail. Extending from the mounting apparatus is one or more movable rods from which protective radio-opaque curtains are suspended.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A mounting apparatus for customized shielding from radiation for a table used for interventional medical procedures comprising:
 a first side surface and an opposing second side surface; 
 a front surface and an opposing back surface, the back surface comprising a longitudinally-extending t-shaped groove from the first side to the second side, the t-shaped groove configured to be slidably engaged to a rail of an interventional medical procedure table so that upon registration, there is little or no movement of the mounting apparatus in relation to the rail; 
 a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, the top surface comprising one or more rod-receiving apertures that extends at least partially from the top surface, the one or more rod-receiving aperture having an entrance region and a plurality of slots, the plurality slots extending radially from the one or more apertures, the plurality of slots being configured to be in registration with one or more cross-sections associated to one or more rods; wherein upon registration of the one or more cross-sections, there is little or no movement of the rod in relation to the top surface; 
 wherein the one or more rods comprise a proximal section and a distal section that extends from the proximal section so that one or more radio-opaque curtains can be suspended from the distal section; 
 wherein the one or more cross-sections is a plurality of lugs extending radially from the proximal section of the rod to preclude a twisting motion of the rod when registered to the plurality of slots. 
 
     
     
       2. The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a threaded through-hole extending from the front surface to the back surface, the through hole operable to receive an anchoring post for locking the mounting apparatus to the rail. 
     
     
       3. The mounting apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the anchoring post comprises a threaded bolt having a lower end portion that is received by the threaded through-hole and an upper end portion that terminates in a head portion that is operable to be gripped by a hand. 
     
     
       4. The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the distal section of the rail extends horizontally across the interventional medical procedure. 
     
     
       5. The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one rod orientation is a generally horizontal orientation relative to the interventional medical procedure table. 
     
     
       6. The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more rods are operable to be twisted within the aperture to register the one or more cross-sections to a different set of slots of the plurality of slots. 
     
     
       7. The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface comprises two or more apertures, the two or more apertures each having a rod engaged, each rod in a same or different orientation. 
     
     
       8. The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more rods further comprises at least one intermediate sections, each of the intermediate sections being at an angle between 0 and 180 degrees with respect to another adjoined intermediate section. 
     
     
       9. The mounting apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more intermediate sections are arranged so that the one or more radio-opaque curtains are suspended below the table.